The Centers for Disease Control (CD) in the United States estimates that the 31 known pathogens that cause food-borne illnesses make 9.4 million people sick and are the cause of almost 56 thousand hospitalizations every year.

Of these, 1,351 people die.

And when the unknown causes are added in, these numbers grow much larger, with 47.8 million getting sick, almost 128 thousand hospitalizations, and a death toll over three thousand.

What does this mean?

With one in six people getting some form of sickness caused by food annually, we need effective ways of preventing the spread of these pathogens, and killing them before we become a part of the statistics.

Your mind might immediately think of raw meat when it comes to getting sick from food. However, it is actually produce that is the biggest culprit in both illness and deaths.

To avoid this danger, the first step is to pick the antibacterial essential oils that fight the pathogens that cause these illnesses in the first place.

Many of the oils I have listed do just that.

The next step is to have a go-to way of how to clean the surfaces that collect all of the germs and bacteria.

Condensed Kitchen Surface Cleaner

1 teaspoon Tea Tree EO

1 teaspoon Lemon EO

½ teaspoon Thyme EO

¼ teaspoon Orange EO

Add all of the ingredients to a dark glass bottle, large enough for all of the ingredients, put the top on, and shake it up well.

Your base is now done. It may seem like a lot, but this is enough for about 13 batches of cleaning spray.

Be sure to keep the blend away from heat and light.

When you need to use it, grab another spray bottle and add:

½ cup Vodka

½ cup Vinegar

20 drops of your Condensed Kitchen Surface Cleaner Blend

Shake this up well, and top it off with a cup of water. Shake it again and it is now ready to use.

This is a strong disinfectant blend, and a little goes a long way. Be sure to do a surface test in an inconspicuous spot before using on a large area.

You can use this spray on all of the kitchen surfaces your food comes in contact with. Make sure to shake it before each use.

The beauty of this spray is you can use it in all areas you want to be germ-free. This means bathroom counters, door knobs, light switches, and any other place you can think of. It has the added bonus of being great at cleaning air where it is sprayed.

If you do not like the smell of the spray or are out of one of the oils listed, it is easy to make substitutions.

Just pick another oil from the list with antibacterial qualities and use that instead.

In a heatproof non-reactive bowl (like glass) mix the borax and grated soap. Pour the boiling water over the mix, and whisk well until it is all melted and combined. Leave it sit, whisking every once in a while, for a few hours.

Once thickened, add the lemon juice or vinegar and your essential oils. Whisk to combine and pour into an old dish soap bottle or other container. Use as you would regular dish soap.

The Bathroom

This is likely the second dirtiest room in the house, for obvious reasons. Here are a few recipes to keep it spic-and-span and germ-free.

Sink and Tub Scrub

1 cup Borax

5 drops Tea Tree EO

5 drops Pine or Lemon EO

Mix well, and use as you would any other abrasive cleaner. Be sure to spot test first to make sure it does not scratch or stain your particular surface.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1 cup Borax

½ cup Lemon juice or Vinegar

10 drops Tea Tree EO

Mix all ingredients to form a thick paste. Flush toilet to wet the sides, then apply the paste all over the inside of the bowl with a toilet brush. Let sit for an hour, then scrub off the surfaces with the brush and flush.

Glass Cleaner

¼ cup Vinegar (white)

5 drops Rosemary EO

5 drops Peppermint EO

1 quart water

In a spray bottle large enough, add the vinegar and essential oils. Shake well, then add the water. Shake again, and use as you would a normal window cleaner.

Living Areas and Bedroom

These areas have surfaces that can be taken care of with our kitchen and window cleaners above, but they also have their own needs.

Wood Cleaner and Polish

1 cup Olive oil

10 drops Orange EO

Blend well in a bottle. Test a small area for color fastness and durability. Use a soft cloth to gently polish the wood with your homemade oil.

Carpet Freshener

2 cups Baking Soda

20-40 drops of your favorite oil or blend

Mix the oils in the baking soda well with a fork or by shaking. Let the oils permeate the baking soda for about half an hour, then sprinkle all over the carpet.

To get deep down, work it in the fiber with a broom. Let it sit for a while to freshen the area then vacuum up.

For Laundry

Essential oils are easy to use in the laundry room. To freshen up a load in the dryer, add five drops of an oil or your favorite blend to a cotton ball or two and throw it in with your clothes.

Homemade Laundry Soap

2 cups Soap Flakes (or grated soap bars, like Fels-Naptha or Ivory)

1 cup Borax

1 cup Washing Soda

1 teaspoon Essential Oil (or blend of essential oil)

This detergent is awesome because you can experiment with the scents you love the most. One batch you could make floral and the next citrus.

Or you can just do relaxing lavender for your bed sheets. The choices are only limited by your imagination.

Mix well by hand or better yet, add it all to a food processor or old blender. Let all the dust settle before opening.

Store in an airtight container. Use a heaping tablespoon per load, and put it in the washer before your clothes. And don’t forget to clean your food processor well!

Conclusion

Aromatherapy and essential oils are more than just pretty fragrances.

These recipes for home cleaners are chemical-free but powerful.

Not only that, cleaning house can be a therapeutic experience that lifts your mood and makes you feel great all day.

Whether cleaning bathrooms, doing dishes or laundry, or simply freshening up the air in your home, I hope you enjoy these natural DIY recipes.

What do you use for green cleaning? I’d love to hear your own homemade, natural recipes in the comments below.

About Mom Prepares

Mom Prepares is an essential oils and natural living blog. We bridge the gap between scientific research and the everyday essential oils user. If you're new to essential oils, you can download our free eBook: The Beginner's Guide to Essential Oils.

Comments

Mary Marsegliasays

I am homeopath, studied Veterinarian Homeopathy but do humans as well(easy cases as I’m getting better with humans but still have to really go to my studies :) ) and am wondering since I don’t know enough about EO’s – but do know you must be very careful with EO’s around animals – your recipes above, are they ok to use around dogs & especially cats?

Please let me know as I’d be happy to post this in my raw feeding/Homeopathic group and of course give you credit for all these wonderful recipes

Hi Mary. I’m glad you enjoyed our post :) You’re right. Using essential oils around dogs, cats, and other pets needs a little extra attention. I would say that some of the recipes above are very safe to use, (ie. laundry), but some of the other ones would require a bit more research.

The good thing is that we have a really great guide on using essential oils for dogs (cats, and other pets here):

The post includes sections on safe/toxic oils for use around pets. If you cross-reference between the recipes, then you should be able to let your Homeopathic group which ones (if not all) are safe. Hope this helps!